Cine Sony, Sony Pictures Television’s premier movie channel for the bi-cultural U.S. Latino audience, and the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) announced the launch of Voces Nuevas, their inaugural short film contest for aspiring filmmakers throughout the U.S. on November 13.

Through January 31, 2019, filmmakers age eighteen or over who reside in the U.S. are invited to submit short films from two to 20 minutes in length.

“Cine Sony is delighted to partner with NALIP to provide a platform to champion the talent and creativity of up-and-coming filmmakers in the U.S.,” Jeff Meier, Senior Vice President and General Manager, U.S. Networks, Sony Pictures Television, said. “On Cine Sony, we have a diverse array of entertainment content from comedies to action movies that reflects the varied interests of our Latino audience. With Voces Nuevas, we are continuing that commitment to showcase the diverse perspectives of aspiring content creators with different backgrounds and experiences.”

Voces Nuevas aims to discover and celebrate emerging film talent while providing a new resource for content development.

Entrants will compete for the chance to win $10,000 plus airfare and accommodations for up to five nights in Los Angeles for the opportunity to meet with Sony Pictures Television executives there.

The winner will also be awarded a scholarship to the 2019 NALIP Media Summit.

“NALIP is a prominent supporter of Latinx inclusion, a crucial and vital element in progressive entertainment and media. NALIP is thrilled to collaborate with the Cine Sony short film contest, ‘Voces Nuevas’. We believe this partnership will give Latinx filmmakers the opportunity to showcase their films to a wider range of audiences,” Ben Lopez, Executive Director for NALIP, said.

“My sisters Cisely, Mariel and I are thrilled to be judging the first annual Voces Nuevas film contest,” Zoe Saldana said. “Every opportunity to amplify Hispanic voices and stories is a further step toward empowering a community that significantly contributes to the cultural vibrancy of America.”

About Cine Sony
Cine Sony is the home for Hollywood blockbusters in Spanish. Featuring uncut, box office favorites, critically acclaimed dramas, hit comedies, popular horror, adrenaline fueled action movies, family favorites and cutting edge music videos from Sony Music Latin artists, Cine Sony is the premier movie channel for the U.S. Latino audience. The network also offers on-demand content and an authenticated watch app CINE SONY through its distribution partners. Cine Sony is distributed by CenturyLink, Comcast, Cox Communications, DISH, and AT&T DirecTV, among others. For more information, visit cinesony.com.

About NALIP
The National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) is a national membership organization. NALIP stands as the premier Latino media organization, addressing for 20 years the most underrepresented and the largest ethnic minority in the country. NALIP’s mission is to discover, promote and inspire Latino content creators and diverse voices across all media platforms. For more information, visit NALIP.org.

LAIKA, the animation studio behind the Academy Award® nominated Kubo and the Two Strings, The Boxtrolls, ParaNorman, and Coraline, announces its fifth and most ambitious film to date: MISSING LINK. The title, U.S. release date (Spring, 2019) and complete cast details were revealed by LAIKA President & CEO Travis Knight as he prepares to meet with foreign buyers at the Cannes Film Festival. Missing Link will be distributed in the U.S. by Annapurna Pictures. AGC International, the sales and distribution division of AGC Studios, is handling international sales.

SYNOPSIS: The charismatic Sir Lionel Frost (voiced by Hugh Jackman) considers himself to be the world’s foremost investigator of myths and monsters. The trouble is none of his small-minded high-society peers seems to recognize this. Sir Lionel’s last chance for acceptance by the adventuring elite rests on traveling to America’s Pacific Northwest to prove the existence of a legendary creature. A living remnant of Man’s primitive ancestry. The Missing Link.

Zach Galifianakis is Mr. Link: the slightly silly, surprisingly smart and soulful beast upon whom Sir Lionel’s dreams depend. As species go, he’s as endangered as they get; he’s the last of his kind, and he’s lonely. Proposing a daring quest to seek out his rumored distant relatives, he enlists Sir Lionel’s help in an odyssey around the world to find the fabled valley of Shangri-La.

Together with Adelina Fortnight (voiced by Zoe Saldana), an independent and resourceful adventurer who possesses the only known map to the group’s secret destination, the unlikely trio embarks on a riotous rollercoaster of a ride. Along the way, our fearless explorers encounter more than their fair share of peril, stalked at every turn by dastardly villains seeking to thwart their mission. Through it all, Mr. Link’s disarming charm and good-humored conviction provide the emotional and comedic foundation of this fun-filled family film.

Bursting with humor, heart, and a profound message of acceptance and finding one’s place, Missing Link is written and directed by Oscar® nominee Chris Butler (ParaNorman). LAIKA’s head of production and Oscar® nominee Arianne Sutner (ParaNorman, Kubo and the Two Strings) is producing with Mr. Knight, who earned an Academy Award® nomination and BAFTA win for his directorial debut on Kubo.

“It was a constant source of delight to witness how our game and captivating cast imbued these larger- than- life characters with distinct personality,” said writer/director Chris Butler. “Hugh lends Sir Lionel a giddy schoolboy enthusiasm bubbling beneath the surface of his suave English gent; Zoe brings an unflappable ardor and a witty playfulness to Adelina, and Zach’s performance as Link is not only laugh-out-loud funny, but a beautifully nuanced balance of innocence and vulnerability. It was a treat to be able to join this eclectic gang of adventurers on their journey across the world.”

“It’s only now with our fifth film that as a team we have the experience, the know-how and the collaborative confidence to even attempt a movie of this size and scope,” said producer Arianne Sutner. “We created 110 sets with 65 unique locations to achieve the film’s scale, majesty and geographic beauty. I couldn’t be more in awe of our LAIKA crew members. Their endless reserves of imagination were pushed to the limit during the production of this ambitious movie, and we ended up soaring past those limits.”

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Ladies and gentlemen, we have a second trailer for AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR!!

It was announced on March 1st that the film would be released in theaters a bit earlier than originally expected, so the new trailer has arrived with perfect timing! The Marvel Cinematic Universe will unite to try and defeat Thanos, but the newest trailer shows our beloved superheroes in some trouble!

SYNOPSIS: Two years after the Avengers were torn apart during the events of Captain America: Civil War, Thanos arrives on Earth to collect the Infinity Stones for a gauntlet that will allow him to bend reality to his will. The Avengers must join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy to stop him before his onslaught of destruction puts an end to the universe.

Did you watch the trailer yet?? If not, what are you waiting for?! Click below and let me know what you think!

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After binge watching The Punisher over the past week, I remembered hearing about this movie that Ben Barnes was in a few years ago and decided to check it out.

THE WORDS was released back in 2012 and stars Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Dennis Quaid, Olivia Wilde, Jeremy Irons and Ben Barnes.

SYNOPSIS: Rory Jansen, a struggling writer, aspires to be the next great literary voice. When he discovers a lost manuscript in a weathered attaché case, he realizes he possesses something extraordinary that he desperately wishes he had created. Rory decides to pass the work off as his own and finally receives the recognition he desperately craves. However, he soon learns that living with his choice will not be as easy as he thought as he faces a moral dilemma that will make him take a hard look at the man he has become.

I actually enjoyed watching this movie. As a writer, I often find myself questioning my own writing abilities. I can’t tell you how many times in a day I sit and ask myself if I’m good enough to pursue this as a career. I’ve read pieces written by others and I wish I had half of the imagination that they had to create such works of art. The truth is that it all depends on who is reading your work. So, that aspect of the movie really intrigued me. I knew how Rory Jansen felt on a personal level.

While there wasn’t any action in this movie, there was heart and relatability. It may not be for everyone – especially those who are unaware of the trials and tribulations that come along with being a writer. It’s not my favorite movie in the world, but I’m happy I was able to watch it.

Bradley Cooper plays Rory Jansen and does a great job! He’s charming and determined to find his place in the literary world, which is definitely not as easy as one might think. I don’t agree with plagiarizing a novel the way that he does, but I don’t think his intention was to actually have the manuscript published. We all find inspiration in the most random of places, so I think Rory was retyping the manuscript in order to find his own inspiration within this story that he fell in love with. When he saw how excited and proud his wife was, he ran with it.

I enjoyed the concept of a story within a story here as well. I don’t know that the point of it all was as cut and dry as I was expecting, but I overlooked that. It was also a bit disappointing that Ben Barnes’s character as the Young Man barely had any lines. His role was instrumental in the telling of the story, but he’s a fabulous, underestimated actor and I wish they would have given the man some more lines! In any case, even with very few lines, he delivers a fantastic performance. One can even argue whether he is the main character of the story.

Perhaps the movie could have made a stronger impact if it had been just a little bit longer. It leaves the audience with so many unanswered questions and I think tying up a few of them might have been more effective.

As I mentioned, this wasn’t my favorite movie, but if you’re a writer I would recommend watching it. If nothing else, just as a reminder that even through all of the rejection letters and silence from literary agencies and magazines, success can be found in the most unexpected places. Also, don’t plagiarize . . . that’s not cool!